


The Unexpected

by TheScholarlyStrumpet (equipoise)



Category: Avenue 5 (TV)
Genre: F/M, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24274663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/equipoise/pseuds/TheScholarlyStrumpet
Summary: A sudden gravity situation leaves Billie and Ryan in a... compromising position
Relationships: Ryan Clark/Billie McEvoy
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	The Unexpected

Billie was just finishing a sandwich in her quarters when her legs suddenly began to float gently upward. 

“You have got to be kidding me!” 

She stuffed the last bite into one cheek, chewing as she bounced into the hall. The gravity wasn’t off completely, but some idiot was clearly at the dial. She hit the floor with her toes, pushing along the wall to propel herself forward. 

She’d reached the corridor to Ryan’s quarters when she saw him levering himself out of his door. 

“Please tell me someone slipped me acid and this is just a bad trip,” he grumbled as Billie made her way toward him. 

“Sorry. Some future murder victim got ahold of the Gravity controls. I’m heading to the engine room.” 

Ryan’s mouth went thin as he exhaled loudly through both nostrils. “Is it better or worse for you if I’m there as a witness?” 

Billie huffed a laugh and opened her mouth to reply when the lights flickered. Both of their heads whipped from one side to the other as the lights blinked completely off. Then on. Then off again. They could hear muffled screams and shouts of alarm from the passengers. Thumping sounds followed as the inevitable collisions began. 

She and Ryan swore in almost perfect unison. 

“Remember how you said you’d been in the Pit so much lately, you could find it in your sleep?”

Billie turned her head toward Ryan’s voice. It was closer now. “Yeah.”

“Spose it’s time to test that.”

In the pitch black, she felt his fingertips brush her arm, sliding tentatively down. His hand slipped neatly into hers. Reflexively, she grasped it. He gave her hand a squeeze and her cheeks suddenly felt warm.

Temporarily grateful for the darkness, she pulled him after her as they made their way in the low gravity. 

The lights flickered again, going red as the emergency backups finally generated. 

Ryan stilled, blinking rapidly. “Mood lighting? Now? Hardly seems appropriate.” He offered her a wry grin. 

Billie’s mouth quirked upward, despite the pit growing in her stomach. “The backups should have come on right away. This delay is… not good.”

“Is it an electric issue or...or another thing?”

“Probably electric. Have to check to be sure. I’d like to tackle the gravity first.” Billie frowned, casting her eyes down and catching a glimpse of their joined hands. She pulled hers away, realizing it was no longer necessary now that they could see. 

Ryan’s jaw twitched as Billie removed her hand from his but he said nothing. 

They were shuffling along the wall again when a shudder ran through the whole ship, throwing them both off kilter. Ryan reached out to catch her, mid-air and then suddenly they were both falling _fast_.

They thudded heavily onto the floor. Too heavily. 

Ryan grunted on impact as Billie landed atop him, her hands extended over his shoulders to catch herself. Her wrists jammed and she hissed in pain. The gravity was back with a vengeance, pulling them down much harder than it should have 

She could hear Ryan releasing a string of invective just above her ear. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist, the other at his side, their legs tangled together.

“Are you hurt?” She managed, once she’d finally caught her breath. 

“I’m fine,” he rasped. “Probably didn’t need those particular ribs anyway.”

Billie rolled her eyes. “If you can still make jokes, I think you’ll live.”

“Ah. How little you know me.”

She paused momentarily. After so many weeks working shoulder to shoulder, she thought she’d actually gotten to know Ryan Clark rather well. She’d initially thought he was a self serving idiot with a thirst for attention, a penchant for dry humor and a talent for creative swearing. Little of that had changed on further acquaintance except her enjoyment of his company. He made her laugh much more than Jordan - the man whose actual job it was to induce laughter. And for a man who was clearly unfit for leadership, Ryan approached his role of Captain with an almost endearing desire to be helpful. 

So, a well meaning idiot, at least. Which was more than could be said for most anyone else in this ship. 

“I do know you,” she replied softly, more to herself than for Ryan’s benefit. 

She felt more than heard as he cleared his throat. 

“Are _you_ alright?” He asked, just as softly.

Billie nodded and then yelped as she felt a hank of her hair give a sharp pull. 

Ryan’s arm around her tightened. “Billie?”

“I’m fine. I’m fine. Just. I think I’m caught.”

She tried to shift her weight onto her hands and winced again at the pain in her wrists. “And I’ve hurt my wrists.”

“Shit.” Ryan exhaled shakily. “What. What can I do?”

“Not sure yet.”

Billie squirmed, trying to alleviate the discomfort of the buttons digging into her cheek without yanking her hair again. With the added gravity, just that basic movement was much more difficult than it should have been. 

Below her, Ryan made a breathless sound and she stilled. “Are your ribs really hurt?”

Ryan drew a deep breath, which she felt as his chest expanded. He blew it out slowly through his mouth. “Maybe mildly bruised. But I’ll be alright. I’ve had worse in a pub fight.”

Billie snorted. “You’ve been in a pub fight?” 

“I’m a drunk and a flirt. You think I’ve never taken a punch or two?”

A chuckle escaped her then. “Good point.” She shifted again and grimaced at the pull on her scalp. “Okay I could maybe use a hand here. My hair is caught in your button and with my wrists hurt….”

“Is that all? Well, Captain Swift Fingers to the rescue!” His shoulders went stiff as Billie made a face. “That sounded terrible, didn’t it?”

“Yes. Please never say that again.”

“Right.” Ryan pulled his arms up sluggishly, making it to her head with notable effort. “Did my arms get heavier or…?”

Billie sighed. “It’s the gravity. Whoever was… experimenting with it - “

“Your future homicide victim,” Ryan supplied cheerfully, his fingers brushing through her dense curls. 

“Exactly. They turned it too far the other way. No idea if the lights are related.”

“Ah,” was his only reply. 

Billie fell silent as she felt him parting her hair. With the increased gravity, she knew it couldn’t be easy to keep his arms aloft like that and she appreciated the gentleness of his touch. In any other circumstances, it might even have been enjoyable, she thought.

Just then, he found the source of the pull and she cringed. 

“Sorry, sorry,” he muttered. “Can’t lift my head long enough to really see so I have to go by feel.”

She took a deep breath. “It’s fine. It’s okay. Just, let’s get this done.”

“Not usually what I like to hear from a woman lying on top of me.” He smoothed two fingers around the offending strands of hair. 

Once more, Billie felt her cheeks heat and she was glad he couldn’t see. She shifted her lower body where the ridge of his hip was beginning to dig into her. 

Ryan gave a short cough, fingers tightening momentarily.

“Ow!” Billie’s fingernails scraped against the floor under them. 

“Sorry! Almost there!” Ryan declared, his voice sounding oddly tight. 

She felt the relief immediately as the final curls came loose. Thanking him profusely, she rocked her body to the side in an attempt to roll off onto the floor. 

Ryan made a strangled sound as her first attempt landed her back onto his belly. 

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“Trying to roll onto my back so I can get up without hurting my wrists more,” she explained slowly, as she would to a child. 

He panted slightly. “Fine. Just. Warn a man first.”

Billie’s nose wrinkled. “Why would I need to… oh my god.” She tensed. 

He tensed. 

“I. I thought that was your hip bone.” 

He made a helpless little high-pitched noise. “Close but, as Freud might say, no cigar.”

Billie froze, her mind fizzing with this new, unwanted knowledge. Well, maybe not entirely unwanted. Not in those secret places of her mind that she rarely unlocked, save in a bubble bath at the end of a very long day. But certainly unexpected. And Billie was not a fan of the unexpected, especially given how often it had been thrust upon her lately.

Bad choice of words. 

She blew air out of her lips and decided to simply not deal with this particular plot twist at this particular moment. “Look just, help me get to my feet so I can go fix this nonsense, okay?”

Ryan was just formulating a mumbled reply when all the lights and gravity were suddenly restored. 

Winging a prayer to whatever god might be listening, Billie rolled easily away and to her feet. 

Ryan also stood, turning away from her, his head down and shoulders hunched. 

She wanted to reach for him. Smooth this awkwardness over somehow - not that that was ever her strong suit. Instead, she focused on bringing her comm back online and rapidly flicking through messages. 

It was in this state that Iris found them both, admonishing Billie for her supposed negligence and Ryan for not immediately having appeared to deal with the passengers. Iris was pulling Ryan away but he caught Billie’s eye one last time, an apology clear on his face. 

Billie waved him off with a shrug and a half hearted smile. After all, they were stuck together for the next few years. Maybe next time - if there _was_ a next time- it wouldn’t be so unexpected.


End file.
